1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a lower hinge engaging structure for a refrigerator for rotatably supporting a refrigerator door, and in particular to an improved lower hinge engaging structure for a refrigerator which is capable of being separable without using a predetermined device for disassembling and assembling the same and providing a stable support force with respect to a refrigerator door, proportionally to the weight of a refrigerator door.
2. Description of the Background Art
Generally, a refrigerator door is rotatably engaged with a main body casing of a refrigerator, so that the refrigerator is opened or closed by the rotational operation of the refrigerator door.
The refrigerator door is engaged to the refrigerator main body casing by a support member which is installed in a lower portion of the refrigerator main body casing for supporting the refrigerator door.
As shown in FIG. 1, the conventional support member includes a lower hinge 4 inserted into a predetermined lower portion of the refrigerator door 2 for supporting the weight of the refrigerator door 2, a hinge support portion 7 fixed to an inner portion of the refrigerator main body casing 8 for supporting the lower hinge 4 and the refrigerator main body casing 8, and a plurality of fixing screws 6 for fixing the lower hinge 4 to the refrigerator main body casing 8.
The lower hinge 4 includes a body 4a having a 90.degree. curved portion, and a hinge pin 4b upwardly protruded from the upper portion of the body 4a and inserted into a hinge hole 2a formed in the lower portion of the refrigerator door 2. A plurality of through holes (not shown) into which the fixing screws 6 are inserted are formed in a vertical portion of the body 4a.
The lower hinge 4 installed for supporting the weight of the refrigerator door 2 and the hinge support portion 7 installed for reinforcing the refrigerator casing 8 have an L-shaped portion, respectively. In each of the lower hinge 4 and the hinge support portion 7, a plurality of through holes into which the fixing screws 6 are inserted are formed.
In the thusly constituted refrigerator door supporting member, the hinge support portion 7 is fixed to the inner portion of the refrigerator casing 8, and the through holes formed in the vertical portion of the hinge support portion 7 and the through holes formed in the vertical portion of the lower hinge 4 are engaged using the fixing screws 6, and then the hinge pin is inserted into the hinge hole formed in the lower portion of the refrigerator door, so that the refrigerator door 2 is stably supported.
However, since the conventional refrigerator door support member is fixed to the refrigerator casing using a plurality of fixing screws, when disassembling or assembling the lower hinge, a predetermined device (tool) is inconveniently used for loosening or unloosening the fixing screws.
In addition, if the fixing screws are damaged due to the abrasion in the threaded portions of the same due to the repeated loosening or unloosening operation, it is impossible to stably support the refrigerator door. Therefore, the refrigerator door may be deformed, so that the power loss may be increased due to the gap formed between the refrigerator door and the refrigerator main body casing.